Investigating ionic effects applied to water based organocatalysed aldol reactions

Development of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase enzyme peptide mimics as biocatalysts in direct asymmetric aldol reactions

This study describes the design and synthesis of mimetic peptides modelled on the catalytic active site of the fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (FBPA) enzyme. The synthesized peptides consisting of the turn motifs and catalytic site amino acids of FBPA enzyme were evaluated for catalytic activity in direct asymmetric aldol reactions of ketones and aldehydes. The influence of substrate scope, catalyst loading and solvents including water, on the reaction were also investigated. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and circular dichroism (CD) were used to determine the secondary structure of the peptides to provide an understanding of the structure–activity relationship. The peptides showed catalytic activity and the aldol products were obtained in low yields (up to 44%), but excellent enantioselectivity (up to 93%) and moderate diastereoselectivity (65 : 35).

Novel asymmetric aldol reaction catalysing fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase peptide mimics with secondary structural motifs.

Novel chiral proline-based organocatalysts with amide and thiourea–amine units for highly efficient asymmetric aldol reaction in saturated brine without additives

A series of novel proline-based organocatalysts with amide and thiourea-amine units (7a–7f) were developed and evaluated in the asymmetric aldol reaction of 4-nitrobenzaldehyde with cyclohexanone. The organocatalyst (7c or 7d, 5 mol%) exhibited efficient catalytic activity to afford aldol products in high diastereoselectivity (up to >99:1), enantioselectivity (up to >99%), and yield (up to >96%) at 0 °C in saturated brine without adding an acid. Aldol products of benzaldehyde derivatives almost universally provide high diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity.

Combinations of Aminocatalysts and Metal Catalysts: A Powerful Cooperative Approach in Selective Organic Synthesis

The cooperation and interplay between organic and metal catalyst systems is of utmost importance in nature and chemical synthesis. Here innovative and selective cooperative catalyst systems can be designed by combining two catalysts that complement rather than inhibit one another. This refined strategy can permit chemical transformations unmanageable by either of the catalysts alone. This review summarizes innovations and developments in selective organic synthesis that have used cooperative dual catalysis by combining simple aminocatalysts with metal catalysts. Considerable efforts have been devoted to this fruitful field. This emerging area employs the different activation modes of amine and metal catalysts as a platform to address challenging reactions. Here, aminocatalysis (e.g., enamine activation catalysis, iminium activation catalysis, single occupied molecular orbital (SOMO) activation catalysis, and photoredox activation catalysis) is employed to activate unreactive carbonyl substrates. The transition metal catalyst complements by activating a variety of substrates through a range of interactions (e.g., electrophilic π-allyl complex formation, Lewis acid activation, allenylidene complex formation, photoredox activation, C-H activation, etc.), and thereby novel concepts within catalysis are created. The inclusion of heterogeneous catalysis strategies allows for "green" chemistry development, catalyst recyclability, and the more eco-friendly synthesis of valuable compounds.

A Snapshot of Ionic-Liquid-Tagged Proline-Based Organocatalysts

This highlight focuses on the developments in ionic-liquid (IL)-tagged proline-based organocatalysts. An overview of catalyst structure and application to asymmetric transformations is provided, and a representative synthesis of an IL-tagged organocatalyst is also discussed.